Rear axle for automobiles and means for supporting the frame or body in relation thereto.



RELATION THERETO.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 23, 1914.

Patented May 18, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

I VITNESSES: N'IOR.

A TTORNE Y.

D. A. LIGHT.

REAR AXLE FOR AUTOMOBILES AND MEANS FOR SUPPORTING THE FRAME 0R BODY INRELATION THERETO.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.23| I914.

Patented May 16, 1916.

ATTORNEY.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May ltd, 1916.

Application filed November 23, 1914-. Serial No. 873,441.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, ULIVERA. LIGHT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Rear Axles for Automobiles andMeans for Supporting the Frame or Body in Relation Thereto, and declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to rear axles for automobiles and means forsupporting the frame or body in relation thereto.

Its object is an axle of inexpensive construction in which the Wheelsmay be individually driven by a jack-shaft connected with the source ofpower in any approved manner. The axle is supported upon opposite sidesof the frame or body by the radius rods pivoted on the jack-shaft, and afurther object of the invention is an axle of two parts yieldably heldin axial alinement and capable of relative longitudinal movement wherebythe axle may lengthen whenever either of the wheels is raised from theroad surface.

Another object of the invention is an axle having a ball-jointconnection with the radius rods whereby a change of the angle of theaxle relative to the horizontal does not producea twisting strain on theradius rods.

These and further objects and the novel features of construction wherebythey may be attained are hereinafter morefully described and claimed andshown in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a side viewpartly in section of the rear end of an automobile embodying myinvention showing the radius rod and the spring suspension of the frameor bod" thereon. Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof showing the two art axleand means for suspending the rame or body thereon. Fig. 3 is an enlargedvertical section of the adjacent inner ends of the two axle membersshowing the spring for yieldingly holding the parts from longitudinalmovement. Fig. i is an enlarged detail showing the balljoint connectionbetween the radius rod and the axle.

Similar characters refer to similar parts throughout the drawing andspecification.

1 indicates a side of the body or frame. Supported in or by these framesis a jackshaft 2'connected with the source of power in any well knownmanner now in use. On opposite ends of this shaft 2 are pulleys 3, eachhaving a belt 4.- running over corresponding pulleys 5 on eachdrive-wheel 6 and 7 as may be seen more particularly in Fig. 2. Whilebelts and pulleys are here shown it is to be understood that sprocketsand chains may be utilized if so desired. As may be understood from Fig.4:, the rear wheels 6 and 7 are mounted to rotate on spindles 8 at eachend of the axle, and the axle 9, therefore, need not rotate with thewheels. The axle is formed of two similar tubular parts 9 and 9 and atubular member 10 is inserted in the ends thereof between the bolts 11and 14: which extend through the parts 9 and 9 as shown in Fig. 3. A.coil spring 12 is situated about the exterior of the contiguous ends ofthe two parts of the axle and each end of the spring is provided with aneye 18 through which the bolts 11 and 14- extend respectively. Whenassembled, the spring 12 is placed under tension and tends to draw thetwo ends of the parts 9 and 9 together and allowing the said parts toseparate under sufiicient strain.

The radius rods 15 and 16 are preferably of the form of flat barspivoted by means of a ball-joint at the forward ends on the jackshaft 2.The bars extend beyond the frame or body 1 at the rear end and areapertured to receive the respective axle. members 9 and 9 As may be seenin Fig. 4: the apertures in the radius bars are considerably larger thanthe axle, and the axle is provided with a ball shaped part 17 fittingthe said aperture. The radius bars are also both provided withring-shaped members 18 and 19 upon opposite sides thereof having flanges20 providing a seat for the ball, of sufficient 100 width to preventrelative displacement of the radius bar and the balls and still allowinga rotary movement of the, ball relative to the radius bar. The balljoint on the j ackshaft is of similar construction. arrangement when oneof the wheels is By this raised from the road bed by an obstruction, orotherwise, and the angle-of the axle to- I rods, the said members willdraw apart and as the wheel is returned again to normal, the

spring 12 will draw the said parts together.

The frame or body 1 is provided with a bracket 30, pivotally mounted onthe rear end thereof carrying a spring member 31, the opposite ends ofwhich extend over and bear on the radius bars 15 and 16. Stirrups 32 areprovided on each radius bar beneath 'which the ends of the springextend. By

this arrangement and the ball-joint connection with the axle, and the jack-shaft, either of the radius bars may move vertically or horizontallywithout affecting the other.

From the foregoing description it becomes evident that the axledescribed is very inexpensive in construction having but few artsrequiring but little fine machine work. hatch of the wheels beingindependently driven, the support of the wheels and axles by the radiusrods and the spring suspension of the frame thereon allows practicallyindependent movement of each wheel, and a change in the angle .of theaxle to the horizontal by reason of encountering obstructions in theroad surface does not result in particular strain to the unobstructedwheel or twist of the adjacent radius bar.

Having thus briefly described my invention, its utility and general modeof construction, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentofthe United States is 1. In an automobile, a framework, a jackshaftsupported thereby, a rear axle of two parts yieldably held from relatiye longitudinal movement, wheels mounted on the axle, means for drivingthe wheels from the jackshaft, radius rods pivoted on both the jackshaftand axle near the ends thereof, and a spring interposed between theframe and the radius rods providing the sole means of support of theframe relative to the axle.

2. In an automobile, a framework,.a jackshaft supported thereby, a rearaxle, wheels mounted for rotation on the axle, means for driving thewheels from the jackshaft, radius rods having a ball joint connectionwith both the jack-shaft and axle near the ends thereof respectively,said axle being formed of two parts adapted for relative longitudinalmovement, means for yieldably holding the axle parts in normal relation,and a spring interposed between the frame and the radius rods providingthe sole means of support of the frame relative to the axle. 3. In anautomobile, a framework, a jackshaft carried thereby, a rear axle,wheels mounted for rotation on-the axle, means for driving the wheelsfrom the jack-shaft, radius rods having a ball -joint connection withboth the jack-shaft and the axle near the ends thereof on opposite sidesof the frame, the axle being formed of two parts adapted for relativelongitudinal movement, a coiled spring having an end attached to each ofsaid parts, said spring being under tension when the two parts of theaxle are in normal position, and a spring interposed between theframe-and the radius rods pro viding the sole means of support of theframe relative to the axle.

4. In an automobile, a framework, a jackshaft supported thereby, a rearaxle, wheels mounted for rotation on the axle, means for driving thewheels from the jack-shaft, ra-

dius rods having a ball-joint connection with both the jack-shaft andaxle near the ends thereof, said ball-joints allowing lateraldisplacement of the radius bars, means limiting the lateral displacementof the bars, said axle being formed of two tubular parts, a coiledspring positioned about contiguous ends of said parts and secured toeach part by means of a bolt passing therethrough, said spring beingnormally under tension,

' a tube or the like in telescopic relation with said ends situatedbetween the said bolts for holding the parts of the axle in axialalinement, and a leaf-spring pivotally mounted on the frame and bearingon the radius rods.

5. In an automobile, a framework, 2. ackshaft supported thereby, a rearaxle of two parts yieldably held from relative longitudinal movement,Wisesis mounted for rotation on the axle, means for driving the wheelsby the jack-shaft, radius rods connecting with'both the jack-shaft andaxle near the ends thereof respectively, means for yieldably holding theaxle parts in normal relation, and a leaf spring centrally pivoted tothe framework with the ends thereof slidably engaging each radius rodrespectively providing the sole means of support of the frame relativeto the axle.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

OLIVER A. LIGHT. Witnesses:

RICHARD ALsPAs,

CHAnLEs E. WISNER.

